Help with a parking fine ticket

petchy

Hi,

Ive just got done for "parking beyond two b ays" this afternoon on a busy retail park site. This was due to the fact the car beside me wasnt in its space (maybe a foot or so out) causing mine to be out. i would have parked elsewhere apart from it was packed. Can anyone help with what to write in a letter, or are there any websites, or advice from people.


Cheers

Petchy

Sheel

Hi petchy

I'm going to move this over to the Anything Else board

good luck , regards , Sheel

petchy

oh im sorry for that!

hope someone on here can help

thanks!

Altarf

Is the car park a local authority Pay & Display type car park or a normal retail type car park?

If it is the former then they can issue you with a penalty if you break the rules, such as not parking in the bay. They probably have taken photos of you parked out of line, and have heard every sob story going. Possibly worth a letter.

If it is the second, then they are charging you in agreement with the sign that is displayed somewhere on the site. It is all very wobbly legally, but on most retail sites, motorway service areas, etc, there are signs up that say something along of the lines of "by parking here I agree to these terms, which if I park properly for less than x amount of time it is free, otherwise I agree to pay a huge amount of money". In this case the money you owe is just a civil debt, but the problem is that these car park operators are one step up from the clamping firms. They will make a request to the DVLA for them to give them your name and address (and the DVLA will), and then chase you for the money. I have heard that if you don't pay they will either forget about it, or go to court to get a judgement and then get the bailiffs in (depends whether you feel lucky). I doubt that you will get any sympathy for any letters you write. If not you could try the retailer who's car park it was.

petchy

well its a bit strange, its the first time ive ever been on the car park.

Its located in southport

and is a pay and display car park within a retail complex, asda, next etc etc etc

and my parking ticket is issued from sefton council

Altarf

In that case possibly worth a letter to the council.

Points that might be relevant:
-How far were you parked over the line.
-Were you overhanging into another bay stopping somebody parking there or were you on the end of the row.
- Where are the signs detailing the restrictions.
- Is there CCTV covering the site which might back you up that you were forced to park as you were by the other car.

Poppy9

Before lying and saying you weren't over the lines ask them for photographic evidence of your parking. If they don't have any then its your word against theirs. Some times local authorities are a bit of a soft touch with parking fines for its car parks. Keep your ticket and send a photocopy showing you had paid and displayed. Complain about the inadequacy of the spaces as most retail park spaces are so narrow only the youngest and the fittest can easily get in and out of their cars. Even enlist the help of your local councillor.

Good luck

Altarf

Poppy9 wrote:

Complain about the inadequacy of the spaces as most retail park spaces are so narrow only the youngest and the fittest can easily get in and out of their cars.

The was an article in the Telegraph a few weeks back about cars getting bigger. Apparently the minimum width that the local authority has to mark out (to be legal) for on-street parking between the kerb and the white line is 1.6 meters. The problem is that, for example the new Ford Focus for example is 1.7 meters wide, and is not a huge car in comparison to some. If you park over the white line they can legitimately give you a ticket.

petchy

Thanks for your help people. Just done a letter and will be in post tomorrow. Fingers crossed! I pretty much doubt i'll get off though

£30 will hit me in the pocket quite hard

Queenie

Even if you do not "get off" - the point is, you haven't just laid down and taken it! Good for you for putting it in writing. Best of luck.

Not "quite" the same scenario, but I was given a ticket on the basis that I hadn't paid and displayed - sadly when I'd shut the car door the ticket had slipped on the dash and the warden hadn't wanted to use any neck muscles that day. I wrote - fine quashed

Fingers X'd

Mumstheword

HI,
My DH got a ticket quashed after I wrote to appeal to their better nature (he was something like 3 minutes late, and the traffic warden watched him running towards the car!)
Tam Durkin gave some good points (used to be a TW), see if you can find him on the boards and pm him!

Best of luck,
Mum